9.4

Paul is a principal of Czepiga Daly Pope. In addition to being a lawyer, Paul is... more

Paul is a principal of Czepiga Daly Pope. In addition to being a lawyer, Paul is also a certified public accountant, has an MBA degree in business from Northwestern University, and has received the designation of Certified Elder Law Attorney from the National Elder Law Foundation as a result of his experience, education, and testing by the Foundation (recognized by the American Bar Association...view profile

8.7

Probate is the legal process used to carry out a person's will after their death; a probate attorney advises you on how to perform the steps in the process. In general, once you have identified and collected the dead person's belongings, including their money, property, and other assets, you pay the person's debts and taxes. Once all debts have been paid, you distribute their money and property according to the language of the will. If there is no will, the laws of the state where the dead person lived control how the property is distributed. A probate attorney helps you plan what happens to your property when you die, as they can probate wills and act as your probate court estate representative. A probate attorney also represents family members and beneficiaries wishing to challenge wills.